1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas hydrate inhibitor, a composition including the gas hydrate inhibitor and a method of inhibiting a formation of a gas hydrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gas hydrates are ice-like solid compounds formed by entrapping “guest” molecules, such as methane, ethane, propane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and the like, in a three-dimensional lattice structure built by hydrogen bonds of “host” water molecules. In general, the gas hydrates are formed and stably exist at low-temperature and high-pressure conditions.
Any solids in oil and gas industries are at least a nuisance for production, transport and processing of fluids. Thus, it is common for the gas hydrates to cause blockage problem of pipelines and other facilities, resulting in shutdown, loss of production, and risk of release of hydrocarbons into the environment. Consequently, the gas hydrates have attracted substantial interest on the suitable inhibition methods, in oil and gas industries in particular. Production of oil and natural gas and transport of the fluids are usually carried out in deep ocean and thus the fluid passes through low temperature and high pressure conditions where the formation of the gas hydrate is favored. These produced fluids have some amount accompanying water and dominantly contain gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons, which results in the formation of the solid gas hydrates. Aforementioned gas hydrate solids deposit on the surface of the pipelines, valves, and equipment so as to obstruct the transport and further processing of the fluids. In addition, the removal of the gas hydrates from the occurred parts requires a lot of time and cost which results in a loss of production during the remedy. For this reason, lots of efforts have been made to inhibit the formation of the gas hydrates in oil and natural gas industries.
Accordingly, the efficient and cost-effective inhibitors for the gas hydrate formation have been developed. However, the conventional inhibitors cannot sufficiently control and inhibit the formation of the gas hydrates. For example, too much amount of inhibitors is needed or insufficient retarding for the gas hydrate formation is happened. Thus, it is required a new gas hydrate which yield enhanced results over conventional gas hydrate inhibitors.